Qatar

traditional monarchyIndependence 3 September 1971 (from UK)

Qatar as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalDoha
LocationMiddle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between
1994

Every edition of Qatar

Populationas each edition published it
512,779 people July 1994 est. · 490,897 in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.56% 1994 est. · 2.84% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 31.2 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 72.25 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.74 children per woman 1994 est. · 4.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
21.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 25 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$17,500 1993 est. · $17,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
-0.5% 1993 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

Middle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between | Iran and Saudi Arabia

24 fields
Land boundaries
60km
total · Saudi Arabia 60 km

Location

Middle East, peninsula jutting into the central Persian Gulf, between Iran and Saudi Arabia

Map references

Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

11,000 sq km

land area

11,000 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than Connecticut

continental shelf

not specified

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

International disputes

territorial dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary with Bahrain

Climate

  • desert;
  • hot, dry;
  • humid and sultry in summer

Terrain

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, fish

arable land

0%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

5%

forest and woodland

0%

other

95%

current issues

limited freshwater resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

natural hazards

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

international agreements

signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Note

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

People

20 fields
Population
512,779
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.56% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
18.83Death
3.53Net migration
10.31

Ethnic divisions

Arab 40%Pakistani 18%Indian 18%Iranian 10%other 14%
Labor force
104,000
(85% non-Qatari in private sector) (1983)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1986)

Infant mortality rate

21.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

72.64 years

male

70.08 years

female

75.09 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.74 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Qatari(s)

adjective

Qatari

Religions

Muslim 95%

Languages

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

total population

76%

male

77%

female

72%

Government

Traditional monarchy

29 fields

conventional long form

State of Qatar

conventional short form

Qatar

local long form

Dawlat Qatar

local short form

Qatar

Type

traditional monarchy

Administrative divisions

  • there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 9 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah);
  • Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Ash Shamal, Jarayan al Batnah, Umm Salal

Independence

3 September 1971 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Constitution

provisional constitution enacted 2 April 1970

chief of state and head of government

  • Amir and Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Hamad Al Thani (since 22 February 1972);
  • Crown Prince HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani (appointed 31 May 1977; son of Amir and Minister of Defense)

cabinet

Council of Ministers; appointed by the amir

Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)

constitution calls for elections for part of this consultative body, but no elections have been held; seats - (30 total)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal

Member of

ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

chief of mission

Ambassador ABD AL-RAHMAN bin Saud bin Faud Al Thani

chancery

Suite 1180, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone

(202) 338-0111

chief of mission

Ambassador Kenton W. KEITH

embassy

149 Ali Bin Ahmed St., Farig Bin Omran (opposite the television station), Doha

mailing address

P. O. Box 2399, Doha

telephone

(0974) 864701 through 864703

FAX

(0974) 861669

Flag

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side

Economy

Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for roughly 85% of | export earnings and 75% of government revenues.

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$17,500
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
-0.5%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate NA%; accounts for 64% of GDP, including oil
External debt
$1.5billion
(1993 est.)

Overview

Oil is the backbone of the economy and accounts for roughly 85% of export earnings and 75% of government revenues. Proved oil reserves of 3.3 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for about 25 years. Oil has given Qatar a per capita GDP comparable to the leading industrial countries. Production and export of natural gas are becoming increasingly important.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $8.8 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$2.5 billion

expenditures

$3 billion, including capital expenditures of $440 million (1992 est.)

Exports

$3.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

petroleum products 85%, steel, fertilizers

partners

Japan 61%, Brazil 6%, South Korea 5%, UAE 4%, Singapore 3% (1991)

Imports

$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities

machinery and equipment, consumer goods, food, chemicals

partners

Japan 14%, UK 12%, US 12%, Germany 9%, France 5% (1991)

capacity

1,596,000 kW

production

4.818 billion kWh

consumption per capita

9,655 kWh (1992)

Industries

crude oil production and refining, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel (rolls reinforcing bars for concrete construction), cement

Agriculture

  • farming and grazing on small scale, less than 2% of GDP;
  • agricultural area is small and government-owned;
  • commercial fishing increasing in importance;
  • most food imported

donor

pledged in ODA to less developed countries (1979-88), $2.7 billion

Currency

1 Qatari riyal (QR) = 100 dirhams

Exchange rates

Qatari riyals (QR) per US$1 - 3.6400 riyals (fixed rate)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

13 fields

total

1,500 km

paved

1,000 km

unpaved

gravel, natural surface 500 km (est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 235 km; natural gas 400 km

Ports

Doha, Umm Sa'id, Halul Island

Merchant marine

18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 373,491 GRT/567,294 DWT, container 4, cargo 11, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1

total

5

usable

4

with permanent-surface runways

1

with runways over 3,659 m

1

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

0

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

2

Telecommunications

  • modern system centered in Doha;
  • 110,000 telephones;
  • tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
  • microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE;
  • submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE;
  • satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 ARABSAT;
  • broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security

4 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Public Security

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 217,538;
  • fit for military service 114,468;
  • reach military age (18) annually 3,737 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA%, of GDP

Affiliation

(overseas department of France)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Qatar.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/qatar/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →